English Cucumber Nutrition Facts

Nothing quite like the coolness of a cucumber in the sweltering summer heat, right? It's funny, isn't it, how versatile a vegetable it is! Right from the varied uses in food, to being used for beauty purposes, the cucumber is good for it all. But how much else do you know about this vegetable? Here's more of an idea on the same for you... Belonging to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, the cucumber (Scientific Binomial Name: Cucumis Sativus), is in fact a fruit, and not a vegetable. It is said that this fruit was first cultivated in India, over 3,000 years ago, and it is from there that it spread to several countries such as Greece, Italy, and China. There are three basic types of cucumbers that are normally available to pick from. They are: slicing, pickling, and burpless. These cucumbers may differ in either taste or appearance, but in general don't differ too much from each other. So, that was a little bit of general information, but what about the health aspect? Let's find out.

Nutritional Value

Here's a glimpse into the nutritional value of English cucumber for you. Have a glance.

Nutrition Facts of English Cucumber (1 cup)

NUTRIENT

VALUE

Calories

18.0

Total Carbohydrates

4.0 g

Potassium

20.0 mg

Sodium

2.0 mg

Total Fat

0.0 g

Saturated Fat

0.0 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

0.0 g

Monounsaturated Fat

0.0 g

Cholesterol

0.0 mg

Protein

0.0 g

Sugars

0.0 g

Dietary Fiber

0.0 g

That was giving you an idea regarding the nutritional value of English cucumbers, but how about some other information regarding the same...

Other Interesting Cucumber Facts

✱ Greenhouse long English Cucumbers do not take much longer than 3 weeks to grow.

✱ Cucumbers are high in water content, and contribute towards weight loss (they are natural diuretics), and keep blood pressure in control too.

✱ It is said that the high vitamin K content of cucumbers also helps with strengthening the bones, and keeps any neurological problems in control.

✱ If a cucumber has an unnatural shine, it has a wax coating over it, to help preserve it longer. In general, a naturally grown cucumber is supposed to be a dull green.

✱ Cucumbers belong to the same family as fruits like pumpkin, watermelon, and zucchini.

✱ The best quality of cucumbers is always the long and slender kind. If it looks shriveled, it isn't fresh.

✱ Largely consumed by people on a diet, cucumbers are great for digestion, and act as a very good cleansing agent for the body.

✱ Commonly used for beauty purposes too, sliced cucumber if placed on the eyes can help get rid of wrinkles around the eyes.

✱ Cucumbers contain a compound called sterols, which help keep cholesterol levels low. This compound is present maximum in the peel of the fruit, hence, it is best to consume cucumbers without getting rid of the peel.

✱ The largest cucumber produce in the United States comes from Florida.

✱ The world's largest cucumber weighed till date has been 59 pounds.

✱ There are several different types of cucumbers that are available, apart from the English cucumber. Some of them are, Persian cucumber, East Asian cucumber, Lebanese cucumber, Apple cucumber, etc.

✱ As strange as it may sound, cucumbers have other odd uses too... They help get rid of hangovers, as well as headaches. They act as a great breath freshener. They also make very good cleaning agents, and can help clean anything, right from shoes to faucets.

So, those were the nutrition facts as well as some other trivia about the English cucumber. The next time you're munching on some, you know how much more it is good for.